Previously, there has been an off-line editing as one method for editing picture information recorded in a recording medium of a video tape or the like. The off-line editing is such a method that the picture information recorded in an original tape at the site of the picture taking is once copied in another recording tape, that is, an editing tape, and on this editing tape, the editing data such as an editing point are prepared, and on the basis of this editing data, a master tape is prepared. In this off-line editing, a desired master tape can be prepared without accidentally eliminating or rewriting the important recording information on the original tape.
However, in the off-line editing, since the editing work is performed by using an editing tape copied from an original tape, there is such a problem that when copying the information on an original tape to an editing tape, time and labor are taken. Furthermore, when preparing editing data by using an editing tape, for ensuring an approach running term in advance, the pre-roll is inevitable, and further, since the access to the object editing point takes time, there is such a problem that preparation of editing data inevitably takes considerable time.
Therefore, as one method to solve said problems, there is such a method that the information on an original tape is once copied in a disk-like recording medium such as a hard disk in which recording is possible and random access is possible, and by using the copied information on the disk-like recording medium, the editing data are prepared. By this method, since the access to the editing point can be performed in a short time, it is possible to decrease the time required for the editing work.
When a small picture is produced from a head of each scene upon shooting an image, even if there ia a target image in the middle of the scene, it is impossible to set the image in the small screen and further a small screen which is not necessary may be produced, which increases the number of small screens unnecessarily. Therefore, it may become impossible to carry out an editing work efficiently.